About Jennifer Hand

Jenn Hand is a strong coffee drinking lover of Jesus. She has a zest for life and loves to go on adventure with Jesus around the world – often getting lost somewhere along the way! Jenn has been professionally speaking since 2004 and became the Executive Director and founder of Coming Alive Ministries in 2012. She spent two life changing years overseas in South Asia as a missionary and has traveled to many third world countries to share the love of Jesus. You can find Jenn on Twitter, Instagram and Coming Alive Ministries.

It is the day before Thanksgiving. I actually will be sitting down with my family to celebrate a little early, on this day.

You may be at the height of preparation for this day, when we get together with the people we love (or ask God to help us love) and basically do one thing. Eat.

You may be traveling. You may be in the last minute, grocery store line. No matter what stage you are in prep for Thanksgiving, you are getting ready for time around a table.

When I lived overseas, it was always interesting to explain to my friends that this holiday really was centered around food and a table.

There can be some major expectations set for Thanksgiving Day if you look at the Hallmark Movie channel or spend time on Pinterest. The table exquisite, the food never burned and always made right on time, the family getting along, and the turkey turning out perfectly.

Why does it look so easy on TV and the glorious world of the Internet but not always feel so easy in our real lives?

Dreaming God-sized dreams can be the same way. It feels like it should be easy and all work as planned…after all, other people do it. We can see our friends grow their speaking platforms, get the writing deals, have incredible God-sized dream experiences.

What we don’t see is the behind-the-scenes stories. The hard work. The sometimes-shed tears. The fears of failing. The wanting to give up. The rejections that lead to the open doors.

Just because my Thanksgiving table does not look like yours does not make it less than or a failure–it makes it a place for the joy of shared experiences with my people–to experience thankfulness with those God has given me to celebrate life with.

I don’t want to miss the joy of what happens around my table by comparing it to someone else’s table.

Let’s not miss the joy of our God-sized dream journey by comparing to someone else’s God-written story. Both are written by the God of glory.

True story. Last week I hosted “Friendsgiving” in my one bedroom basement apartment. I had eight people I dearly love around my table.

It could have been easy to think about the fact that I live in a tiny apartment and have a flimsy card table, decorated with Dollar Tree decorations for people to eat around. To think about how I slightly burned the casseroles, how the homemade rolls did not look as pretty as the Pioneer Woman’s, and how the gravy turned out more like glue or wallpaper paste.

It would have been easier to compare to the other Thanksgivings I see and miss the joy of what was in front of me.

We had a wonderful time that night laughing, talking and eating, all while making sure not to lean too hard on the card table so it would not collapse.

When I compare my God-sized dream story to other’s journey, I can lose heart. I can find myself feeling those twinges of envy, wondering why my story looks different from your story.

That is Satan’s sneaky way of making us miss the table God has set before us.

God has brought us to His banqueting table, His banner over us is love. (Song of Solomon 2:4)

He has set the table for your God-sized dreams. He has invited you to feast at the table with Him. Let’s not miss it by dreaming of sitting at a different table.

I hate construction zone cones and barrels. I realize hate is a strong word. But truly I do not like them. I always feel like at any moment I could accidentally take one out with my minivan.

Yes, I do drive a minivan and I am a non-mom. #minivannonmom

Maybe this is because driver’s education was taken out of my high school due to budget cuts. So, my Dad decided to be my sister’s and my driver’s ed teacher. He took his job very seriously. First, we had to watch driving safety videos from the dark ages–a time when they may have still been having to use a crank to start the cars.

Then we practiced in the driveway. FOREVER.

Then we finally hit the big stuff. We moved to the state park in our area. I think it was a year of driving before I realized you could go over 15 MPH.

But my favorite most hated time was the parking practice time. My Dad set up construction cones with rakes sticking out of the top for my sister and me to practice parking in the lines.

This park happened to be where all of the cool kids hung out on the weekends–all the cool kids who were not having their own driver’s education class complete with cones and rakes.

My Dad and I joke about this all the time because I am still terrible at parking.

When you are driving somewhere and you get to a sign that says “Roadblock,” it is easy to wonder what is going on behind that sign. Usually, you have to detour or turn around. Roadblocks are generally set in place so that you do not pass.

We hit roadblocks in our God-sized dreams.

Those times when the doors seem to slam shut. When the resources seem to dry up. When the dream seems so big and our abilities seem so small.

When we don’t get the agent that we thought would love to take on our writing. When the speaking engagements are not coming in. When the demands of our family seem to live little time for our dream.

The Lord has been teaching me lately about the power of asking others to pray for me as I walk out the dreams God has for me.

Truth be told, it can feel vulnerable to ask for prayer. I do not want to appear needy. I can allow the enemy to whisper to my heart that it is selfish to ask others to pray for me.

I can start thinking about real prayer requests like cancer, prodigal children and divorce.

How can I ask for prayer for my dreams?

Then I am reminded that Paul often asked people to join Him in his ministry through their ministry of prayer.

At the same time, pray also for us, that God may open to us a door for the word, to declare the mystery of Christ, on account of which I am in prison—Colossians 4:3 ESV

Recently I was getting ready to follow one of my God-sized dreams, doing trauma mitigation and debriefing for adults and children who had been through the recent 7.8 earthquake in Ecuador. I found out one week before that God was opening the door for me to go. This was a God-sized dream as part of my ministry dreams involve ministering internationally.

I was busy making preparations. Getting ready for the program we were going to lead there. Packing. Getting a suitcase full of crayons to take to the children as we led them through art therapy.

In the midst of my preparations, I felt very impressed to invite others to pray me through this dream journey.

I was almost hesitate as I asked my church for prayer. The Sunday before I left, several from my church community gathered around and prayed. It was an incredible powerful moment.

Inviting others to pray invited them on this journey of faith with me.

We just recently celebrated the glory story of Easter. The story of Jesus who died for us but also came back to life as He promised to us!

There is big gaps of months between Easter and the next big holiday for Christians—Christmas.

The holidays where we celebrate the birth of Jesus and the death of Jesus.

There are many moments, many days, many hours between Easter and Christmas. Many days full of the mundane. Many days filled with mystery. Days filled with the sacred and the secular.

This Easter I was extra excited to celebrate the story of the cross. I had the incredible blessing of spending ten amazing days in Israel a few weeks prior to Easter. I was able to walk in the stories of Jesus. To sit where Jesus taught the sermon on the mount. To ride a boat on the Sea of Galilee where Jesus calmed a storm with just a word.

To imagine Jesus saying to Peter, come, walk on this water.

I saw the birthplace of Jesus. I was able to touch the well where Jesus offered the woman Living water.

The Bible came alive in a whole new way. I felt like I was living the pages of the Bible. I loved EVERYTHING (especially the food!). But the crowning moment for me was our last day in Jerusalem when I knew we were headed to Golgotha and then the Garden Tomb. I could hardly wait. Another special gift was that we would be going to those places on my 34th birthday. Talk about the most incredible birthday ever.

Friends, that first glimpse of Golgotha, the place where Jesus was crucified to take on the sins of the world, took my breath away.

Friends, we are dreamers. The enemy of our souls wants to steal, kill and destroy our desires to dream, our boldness to dream God-sized dreams, and our passion to dream. Insecurities and doubts come. Darkness falls on the calling that once seemed so full of light.

Many times everything about a dream can look dead in the natural.

But we serve a God of resurrection. A God who is always working behind the scenes. Even when Jesus was in a grave for three days, God was working in the waiting.

There was a resurrection.

We have the chance to live Easter every day. To keep walking alive even when it seems easier to let our dreams die. And when we do experience a death of a dream, to celebrate that we have a God who resurrects.

It’s February. For some of you, this is the month where love is celebrated just a little bit extra. Cheesy cards, chocolates, and those sugary little hearts that say little sweet phrases like , “ You’re special.”

For others, I can sense you sighing. You are not really into that commercialized Valentine’s Day love stuff. Maybe it’s a minor sigh that comes from thinking, “I just do not understand why they try to commercialize love.”

Sometimes that sigh comes from a much deeper place. The place where we are looking for love, feeling unloved, or wondering what love really is.

I remember my first “love.” Names will be changed to protect the innocent, but I thought for sure his eighth-grade self was the one I was going to marry. I wrote his initials—we will call him John, on EVERYTHING.

I practiced how our names would sound together. And we had a love song. Granted He did not know it was our song, BUT it was playing in the church van one time when we were together. He may have been six rows back in the twelve passenger van, but still—it was our song.

I was devastated when I found out He did not return these warm fuzzy feelings of love.

As a thirty-three year old single girl, sometimes it can be easy to still want to live out the feelings that came that day: feeling unpicked, unnoticed, unloved.

Living loved, free to dream. To take steps towards those dreams, no matter how afraid. To make mistakes on the way to those God-sized dreams. To recognize that the times when I fail, God’s love will never fail.

No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord. (Romans 8:37-38 ESV)

So friend, chocolates or no chocolate, this month why don’t we chose to celebrate?

Let’s live out of His great love, free to be the ones He loves. Nothing will separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus.

You know the moment when God is asking you to respond. The moment He is asking you to move toward His altar and fall on your knees before Him. For me, in these moments, my heart beats faster, my palms start to sweat and I know I must respond to His invitation.

Sometimes this can be when I am home all alone and God wants me to fall down on my knees before Him and worship—or at least put my coffee cup down and raise my hands up.

Sometimes this can be when asked by someone to do something way outside of my comfort zone, and I feel the familiar knock on my heart from the Spirit of God to say yes—or to be brave and say no.

I had that moment the other day at church. I could sense God speaking through the worship and then through the powerful sermon. When our pastor extended the invitation to come to the altar, I knew I was to come. Heart pounding, palms sweaty, I was not sure exactly what God wanted from me there at the altar. But as I knelt, He spoke.

Jenn you are a dreamer. You have big Hopes. Big dreams. You are willing to follow your God-sized dreams. However, you have taken steps from hoping and believing into a sense of entitlement.

The definition of hope is a feeling of expectation and desire for a certain thing to happen.

The definition of entitlement is belief that one is inherently deserving of privileges or has a right to something.

The Lord whispered to my heart – Just because you have dreams that are FROM me and FOR me does not mean you are entitled to the fulfillment of those dreams by me.

Romans 5:5 New Living Translation, “And This hope will not lead to disappointment. For we know how dearly God loves us, because He has given us the Holy Spirit to fill our hearts with His love.”

Hope is God will never disappoint. My sense of entitlement will.

As I was at the altar, God whispered He wanted me to turn my entitlement struggles into thanksgiving. To spend the month of November really examining my thoughts.

Where do I feel entitled? How am I expecting God to move versus expecting God?

In each of my thoughts to pause and press into thankfulness.

Philippians 4:8, Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise think on these things. (ESV)

As we prepare for the crazy hustle and bustle of holidays, I want to be full of thanksgiving for who God is and what He is doing.

To celebrate.

To trust.

To hope but not expect my own expectations.

I would love to offer a giveaway of my Christmas advent book as we prepare for the advent season!

We are so excited to show you our winter sale items! Designed by the talented Lisa Larson, we are offering you two different style shirts (a flowy long-sleeve and a super soft slouchy sweatshirt) in three different colors. This design was created out of our love for not only anchors but the Bible promise of Hebrews 6:19, “Hope anchors the soul.”

But hurry! You only have until November 24th to order!! Get yours today!

I am a dreamer. If I were to take a guess, I am imagining that you are also a dreamer—that is how you found yourself here in our cozy little corner.

Sometimes I find myself dreaming really big giant impossible dreams.

Sometimes I find myself dreaming too small.

And sometimes I find myself getting so caught up in looking for those giant impossible dreams that I miss the small.

Two summers ago I had seen one of my biggest dreams come true.I had experienced the birth of my dream in the form of my first book being released, 31 Days to Coming Alive.I was getting more and more speaking engagements.This dreamer was seeing God do some impossible.

In the midst of that season, I realized something.I was forgetting to enjoy the small while I was watching for God to do the BIG. (<====Click to Tweet) And although I think dreaming big is a fun way to watch the Lord and His purposes unfold in our lives, I am also learning that I need to take time to celebrate and notice the small.

I began to find myself feeling swallowed by the big.I was and am a dreamer—a person who dreams.But I also wanted to be someone who enjoyed the moments.

That summer I had an idea.I decided to write a summer manifesto.I honestly was not even sure at the time what the definition for manifesto was, but it just sounded like such a fun word to use.

Manifesto—a statement or declaration

I wanted to write a summer manifesto.A declaration to intentionally enjoy the small moments while continuing to be a dreamer about the big.I got a fun pen and some fancy inspirational paper—because that seemed the most perfect way to write something like a manifesto.

And I made my manifesto list.I don’t remember everything on the list, but it included things like joining the local library and checking out books (which I could not do the next summer due to the fines I had from those said missing library books), spend more time in water then out of water, memorize a chapter in the Bible, and build a sandcastle at the beach.It also included some big dreams like re-doing my website, working on my next book, and taking a mission trip.

This summer manifesto helped me enjoy seeing God in the big and the small that summer.Writing this declaration helped me go after enjoying life’s little moments.Mundane moments became moments made for worshipping.

I had my Bible study ladies write their own summer manifesto.We had a blast sharing our summer manifesto pictures with each other, reminding each other to LIVE.

This began a manifesto writing trend for me.Every season I would get excited to write a new manifesto. A declaration to enjoy to the full what that season had to offer.

This is not a list to get legalistic about.Of course I do not always get around to doing everything on my manifesto.But it is a way for this dreamer to dream about the small moments and the big visions.

I am excited because fall is coming, and it’s time to write my fall manifesto.My list will involve smore’s , firepits, sweatshirts, and playing in the leaves.Hikes in the mountains.Working on my newest manuscript dream.Buying a new pair of fall boots.Finding more ministry partners.

Ten Years ago, I stepped on a plane to serve as a summer missionary in Nepal. I had heard I would be spending the summer doing medical work, and I was very excited about that prospect. Sure I had no medical training, but I had watched lots of episodes of ER on tv, so that counted, right?

My dream had always been to serve God overseas. This was one step in that dream. However, I quickly found, as we generally do, God’s dreams for me were different than I had planned.

That summer, our team’s job assignment was to make maxi pads for the maternity ward. Yes, you read that right, making maxi’s for the glory of the Lord.

It seemed so mundane. It was very unlike I had planned. It was not a great missionary glory story.

Sometimes the steps to our God-sized dreams seem so mundane. They are very unlike what we have planned. They are not the glory story we had planned– but God is doing kingdom work behind the scenes. (<====Click to Tweet)

Maxipad making led to a desire and a calling to go back and serve God in Nepal full time. This led to leaving everything I knew and loved in America to go live in Kathmandu Nepal for two years.

In those years, I learned the language, learned the people, and the culture. In those years, I fell in love with the people, the culture, and the God who had called me so far out of my comfort zone.

God-sized dreams evolve and change, even if we feel more comfortable when they stay the same! (<====Click to Tweet)

I thought I would stay in Nepal forever, but God began to work on my heart, calling me to return back to America, get my Masters in Christian counseling, with an emphasis on trauma, and start a ministry called Coming Alive Ministries

That’s where the title “For Such a Time as This” comes in.

In the Book of Esther, Esther is called to do something scary. She has the chance to go before the king and ask for his help in saving her people. It would take bravery. Our kingdom work takes bravery.

It would take using her months of training to be a princess. Often God uses practical training for our dreams.

In the month of May I got to experience what I call my Esther moment when I returned to Nepal.

This time, I was there to help after two large earthquakes had devastated an already desperately poor third world country.

God put together all kinds of pieces for this dream He had dreamed for me.

I already spoke the language fluently.

I had a degree in trauma counseling.

And I had a love for these people.

For such a time as this. I will never forget the first village we went to. There was nothing that remained standing. There was a pancaked church with 8 bodies still inside. And there was a group of those that had survived, bandaged and bruised as they were, huddled under a small piece of tin. And they were looking for hope.

I opened my mouth and was able to speak in their language. Simply be with them. To walk them through this unspeakable trauma.

Village after village this happened. They came for hope.

It was a God sized dream that I would never have dreamed.

God is putting together the puzzle pieces of your life for His kingdom work, for such a time as this. (<====Click to Tweet)

Have your ordered your shirt yet? There’s still time (ends July 8th)! It’s $22+shipping and all proceeds will be applied to the operating costs of the website. Don’t forget to snap a picture of you wearing your shirt and tag us either on Instagram or Facebook so that we can share your pic with all of our readers! Click the link to order yours today ==> GSD T Shirt

Sometimes, it may seem easier and safer to think that it would be nice to live on a deserted island all alone. Of course, I would only want to be on this island if someone dropped off a nice latte everyday.

As a extrovert, I LOVE people. I love being around anyone, even if it is simply at the coffee shop down the road.

But sometimes, even for THIS extrovert, the word community can scare me.

( I wonder if you ever feel this tug of fear in the word community?)

Community means letting people in. Opening the door and letting people in can be scary. What if they see the cobwebs, the dust I missed, the unwashed dishes in the sink?

What if I hurt them? What if they hurt me?

God created man to not be alone. That’s how our sister Eve came into this world. God said it was not good for man to be alone. No desert island living for us.

The early church in Acts had a God sized dream to spread the new movement of Christianity across the world. And they did that by being a community. Together.

Acts 2:44 says, ” and all who believed were together and had all things in common”… and day by day, attending the temple together and breaking bread in their homes, they received their food with glad and generous hearts.

The believers accomplished their God-sized dream together. We can accomplish our God-sized dreams together. Letting each part of the beautiful body of Christ play a part can cause us to come alive in community.

Since 2012, when I established my dream, Coming Alive Ministries, I have learned more about the value of community. Letting people in the community called Coming Alive Ministries has allowed me to see God move in huge ways.